Resume Cover Letter Samples

You want to see cover letter samples because you think when you apply for a job you need one.
As a recruiter, I'm torn. I know what the certified resume experts will tell you...a resume
cover letter is critical to your success in the job search process. A well crafted cover
letter will make you stand out from the crowd.

In theory, I can agree with the experts, but with first hand knowledge of how busy recruiters
really screen candidates, this text book approach is not fool proof!

In my world, a cover letter is fluff, so showing you some cover letter samples was not high on my priority list.
I don't grant interviews based on cover letters. I never forward your cover letter onto my client. In fact, I almost never read them.
In my world, resumes reign supreme!

So, why talk about resume cover letters at all?

To keep you out of trouble! If you're intent on including a cover letter, then it should help you,
not hurt you.

You spend hours pouring over your drafts - and change the letter for each new opportunity you
pursue. If you are going to take the time to craft and send a cover letter, make sure it works to
your advantage - and not against you!

A resume cover letter can run the gamut from a short transmittal letter to a full narrative version
of your resume. My preference is a short transmittal that includes a few key word highlights and
closes with a request for an interview.

Exceeded personal and team new business goals by 20% in each of the past 5 years.

A strong track record of managing a field sales organization. In my current role,
I have 25 account executives reporting to me, including 5 national account representatives,
5 sales engineers, and 15 account executives.

Successful direction of a new product launch in 2007, driving sales to $50 million
in the first 12 months.

I would welcome an opportunity to discuss how my experience can benefit ABC Widget in more
detail. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

John Q. Public

Resume Cover Letter Do's and Don'ts

Bullet points should track key requirements you know about from the job advertisement,
your networking contacts, etc. If you can't easily map your experience to these key
requirements, you might need to re-think whether this opportunity is right for you.

For those of you who think a busy hiring manager is going to read your three page
resume cover letter, take another look at our cover letter samples. If you insist on length, here are some pointers to increase the chance
of your letter having some impact:

Open with a hook - use some quick bullet points that match the requirements of the
position so the hiring manager knows you're qualified.

Don't just rehash your resume. This letter needs to supplement - not repeat - what
shows up on your resume.

Try to expand on things that are relevant to the position you're applying for. Use
something from the ad, your research, etc. to tell the story of a particular accomplishment.

Keep in mind your contribution, your role - not the role of your team.

Edit - and then edit again. If you're using this expanded format, your writing skills better
be stellar. No fluff, just substance. Put together a compelling story. Spell check, grammar check,
and then...

Proofread to make sure that your communication is perfect.

Keep in mind what we've talked about before. You have about 15-20 seconds to get the attention
of the person reviewing your resume. Your resume cover letter needs to make connections quickly
between your skills and the job at hand.

My advice? Perfect something short and let your resume do the work! If in doubt, re-study our cover letter samples and take our advice!